Pipe bomb found, safely detonated near Sauk

DIXON – Lee County sheriff's deputies, along with the Winnebago County bomb squad, safely detonated a pipe bomb that had been found Thursday along the Rock River behind Sauk Valley Community College.

Sheriff's deputies were called to the river behind the college just after 3 p.m. They, along with campus security and the Department of Natural Resources, searched the area.

They found an item that resembled a pipe bomb, made of PVC pipe and with a fuse attached, Sheriff John Varga said. They were unable to discern whether the item originally was placed in the water and had washed up to shore or whether it was placed on land and had rolled into the water, he said.

The device was far enough away from any campus buildings or people, so the school was not in danger, Varga said.

The bomb squad detonated the device without incident.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the suspicious item should call the sheriff's department at 815-288-6631.